Foot-powered watercraft



June 9, 1953 F. SH-ELVEVRTON FOOT-POWERED WATERCRAFT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1952 INVENTOR. FRED Summon vm ll VII/Ill my, I A

June 9, 1 F. SHELVERTON FOOT-POWERED WATERCRAFT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1952 IN VFN TOR. 7 FRED Snawsmon T M kw ir ll.

June 9, 1953 'F. SHELVERTONI FOOT-POWERED WATERCRAFT Filed Jan. 25, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR. FRED .QHELVERTON AITJMVEY Patented June 9, 1953 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in foot powered watercraft.

More specifically, the present invention proposes the construction of a foot powered watercraft characterized by a pair of adjacent hollow pontoons each of which is constructed to be mounted by a number of riders tandem fashion and each pontoon is provided with pedal operated means to be powered by all of the riders for propelling the watercraft in a forward direction Another object of the present invention proposes providing each of the pontoons with a pivotally mounted rudder with means operated by one of the riders for moving both of the rudders in unison in one direction or the other in a manner to steer the watercraft.

As a further object, the present invention further proposes rigidly connecting the pontoons together with a rotative shaft extended between the pontoons for connection to the pedal operated means of each of the pontoons so that the pontoons will be propelled in a forward direction at a common rate of speed.

Still further, the present invention proposes characterizing the rotative shaft extended between the pontoons by end aligned shaft sections having their adjacent ends connected by a clutch arranged to be operated by the rider who controls steering of the watercraft to be opened to release the connection between the pedal operated means so that the riders on the outside of a turn may pedal faster than the riders on the inside of a turn to thereby assist the rudders in negotiating the watercraft about sharp turns.

It is a further object of the present invention to construct a foot powered watercraft of the type disclosed which is simple and durable, which is effective for its intended purposes and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are mort particularly set forth.

On the accompanying drawing forming a material part of the present disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the foot powered watercraft constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. i is a partial transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal horizontal sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a partial longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken on the line Ed of Fig. 2.

Figure '7 is a bottom view of Figure 1, illustrating some of the driving means in dotted lines.

The foot powered watercraft, according to the present invention, includes a pair of adjacent hollow pontoons I5. Each of the pontoons I5 is alike in construction and each has a hollow shaped hull it having an open top bounded by an inwardly directed flange ll, see particularly Figs. 3 to 5.

Rested on the inwardly directed flange ll, there is a wall it which is watertightly secured in position by means of screws !9 which pass through the wall it and are threaded into the flange Ii. If desired, a gasket could be interposed between the adjacent faces of the flange H and the wall 18 for insuring a water-tight seal. The formation of the hulls I6 is not an important feature of the present construction and actually they may take an shape and be made of any desired materials.

The wall iii of each of the pontoons I5 is formed with an upwardly extended hollow projection 28. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the projections 20 are of a length less than the length of the respective pontoon and of a width less than the width of the respective pontoon and have open tops. As in the case of the hulls it, the open tops of the projections 2e are closed by top walls 2| secured in position by screws 22. The screws 22 are threaded into flanges 23 which bound the open tops of the projections 20.

Mounted on the top walls 2| of the projections 20, there are seat structures 2d for seating a number of riders in tandem fashion on each of the pontoons [5. On the drawings, the seat structures 24 are shown as being four in number on each of the pontoons; however, that is illustrative only as the number of seat structures on each of the pontoons 15 can be increased and decreased as desired. Each of the seat structures 24 includes a rearmost vertical column 25 mounting a bicycle type seat 26 on its top end. Forward of the vertical columns 25, the seat structures 24 have Vertical posts 21 having handle bars 28 mounted on their top ends. The columns 25 and the posts 2! of the seat structures are reinforced to maintain their vertical position by means of braces 29.

faces of the top walls 21 of the pontoons 15. All of the handle bars 28 are fixed in position on their respective posts 21 except the handle bar 28 of the rearmost seat structure 24 of the one pontoon I5. The handle bar 28 is mounted on the top end of a rod 30, see particularly Fig. 2, which is extended turnably down through the respective vertical post 2? for a purpose which will become clear as this specification proceeds.

Pedal operated means is provided for propelling each of the pontoons of the watercraft in a forward direction. The pedal operated means is characterized by a shaft 3| for each of the seat structures which is extended rotatively transversely through the respective projection 2|]. The ends of the shafts 3| which extend beyond the outer faces of the projections mount opposed radially offset pedal assemblies 32 by which the shafts 3| can be turned by the riders using their feet.

Mounted on the rearmost shaft 3|, of each of the projections 20, there is a sprocket wheel 33 over which a continuous sprocket chain 34 is passed. Supported within the hollow hulls I6 immediately below each of the rearmost shafts 3|, there are transverse shafts 35 rotatively supported at their ends in suitable bearing brackets 36 fixedly mounted within the hulls l6. Mounted on the shafts 35, midway between the brackets 36, there are sprocket wheels 3'! engaged by the chains 34 for causing the shafts 35 to be rotated when the rearmost shafts 3| are manually rotated.

All of the transverse shafts 3| mounting the pedal assemblies 32, of each of the pontoons l5, are connected together for unitary rotation by means of sprocket wheels 38 mounted on the shafts 3| along the opposed side walls of the respective projections 20. The sprocket wheels 38 have continuous chains 39 extended about them. If desired, these drive arrangements may also be located in the hulls l6.

Mounted on the rearmost shaft 35 of each of the pontoons |5, to one side of the sprocket 31, there is a large bevel gear 40. The bevel gear 40 in turn meshes with a smaller bevel gear 4| mounted on the front end of a rearward longitudinally extended drive shaft 42. The front ends of the shafts 42 are rotatively supported in bearing brackets 43 fixedly mounted in the hulls 16 to thereby retain the smaller bevel gears 4| in meshing engagement with the larger bevel gears 40. Intermediate of their ends, the shafts 42 are extended rotatively through stuffing boxes 44,- see Fig. 2, mounted through the rear ends of the hulls IS. The outer rear ends of the shafts 42 mount propellers 45.

It is thus apparent, that as the shafts 3| are rotated by foot power using the pedal assemblies 32, the propellers 45 will be continuously driven in the same direction to propel the watercraft in a forward direction. The sprocket wheels 31 are somewhat smaller than the sprocket wheels 40 providing a mechanical advantage for causing the propellers 45 to be turned at a rapid rate of speed with the expenditure of a small amount of energy to turn the shafts 3|.

The pontoons l5 are joined together adjacent one of their ends. The interconnection is accomplished by extending stud shafts 46 upward from the walls 18 of the pontoons |5 rearward of the respective upwardly extended projections 20. A bar 41 extended transversely between the pontoons l5 has its ends engaged over the bottom ends of the stud shafts 46.

Additional means. to be presently described 4 are also provided for joining the pontoons l5 to maintain them in the abreast position shown in Fig. 1.

Means is provided for connecting together the pedal operated means of each of the pontoons so that they will be operated in unison to insure forward propelling of the pontoons |5 at an even rate of speed. That connecting means comprises a shaft 52 formed of end aligned separate shaft sections 52 and 52* extended transversely between the rear ends of the projection 20. The outer end portions of the shaft sections 52 and 53 are extended rotatively through the inner walls of the projections and have their outer ends rotatively supported in bearings 53 mounted on the inner faces of the outer walls of the projections 20. The adjacent ends of the shaft sections 52 and 52 are releasably connected together by a clutch 54 mounted on the pontoon i5 which carries the turnable handle bar 28. A control lever 55 extends upward from the clutch 54 to be manipulated by the same rider who turns the handle bar 28 for steering the watercraft as will be presently described. Constructional details of the clutch 54 will not be given in this description as such constructional details are generally known in the art and as such form no part of the present invention. It is deemed sufficient to say that the clutch 54 is of the type which maintains itself in either an open or closed position until its position is changed by movement of the lever 55.

Within the projections, the end portions of the shaft sections 52 and 52* are provided with sprocket wheels 56 engaged by continuous sprocket chains 51. The other sides of the sprocket chains 51 are engaged over complementary sprocket wheels 58 mounted on the rearmost transversely extended shafts 3| of each of the pontoons. The sprocket wheels 58 are mounted on the shafts 3| on the sides of the sprocket wheels 33 opposite the sides on which the respective sprocket wheels 38 are mounted. Thus, it becomes apparent that with the clutch 54 in its closed position, the pedal operated means of the two pontoons will be connected to operate in unison and cause the pontoons to be propelled in a forward direction at a common rate of speed. On the other hand, when the clutch 54 is opened by movement of the control lever 55, the pedal operated means of the pontoons l5 can be operated at different rates of speed to assist the rudders to be presently described in moving the watercraft about sharp turns. That is accomplished by having the riders of the pontoon on the outside of the turn pedal more rapidly than the riders on the pontoon on the inside of the turn. The effect is to cause the pontoon on the outside of the turn to move ahead more rapidly and so 'pull the watercraft into the turn more quickly than can be effected by the use of the rudders alone.

Pivotally mounted on the rear end of each of the pontoons |5, there is a rudder B9. The rudders 59 have vertically extended shafts 10 projected rotatively upward through U-shaped brackets fixedly mounted on the rear end of the pontoons 5. The shafts 10 are maintained against vertical displacement from the brackets H by means of short lengths of tube 12, see Fig. 2, pinned to the shafts and occupying the full space between the arms of the brackets 1|.

Means is provided for turning the shafts 10 in unison to similarly turn the rudders 69 in unison in one direction orthe other to steer the water- 10 there are crossed connecting bars 81.

craft. The turning means is characterized by a segmental gear 13 mounted on the bottom end of the rod 30 arranged to be turned in one direction or the other by the previously identified turnable handle bar 28 The segmental gear 13 in turn meshes with a smaller segmental gear 14 fixed to a vertically extended shaft 15. The top end of the shaft is rotatively supported by the respective top wall 2! and the bottom end of the shaft is rotatively supported by a bracket Hi mounted transversely across the respective projection 20. Fixedly mounted on the shaft 15 beneath the segmental gear 14, there is a sprocket wheel H. A sprocket chain 18 is engaged over the sprocket wheel H and extended through a complementary slot 19 formed in the rear wall of the projection 20.

Rotatively positioned on the stud shafts 46 above the ends of the transverse bar 41, there are sprocket wheels 80 and 8 i.

The sprocket wheels 80 and 8| differ from conventional sprocket wheels 80 and SI in that the wheel 8E! has three vertical spaced portions 80*, 80 and 80. The wheel 8| has two vertically spaced portions 81 and 3 l aligned laterally with the portions 86' and 36 respectively, of the sprocket wheel 30, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; all sprocket chains have been omitted from those figures to more clearly illustrate the formation of the sprocket wheels. The sprocket chain 18 after being extended from the slot i9, is engaged about the lower portion 80 of the sprocket wheel it to cause the sprocket wheel 80 to be turned when the sprocket wheel 80 is engaged by a transversely extended sprocket chain 82 which is also engaged with the top portion Bl of the sprocket wheel 8| So that as the wheel 80 is turned the wheel 8| will be similarly turned.

Mounted on the shafts of the rudders 69, there are sprocket wheels 83 and B4. The sprocket wheel 83 is engaged by a sprocket chain 85 which also engages about the portion 80 of the sprocket wheel 89. The sprocket wheel 84 is engaged by a sprocket chain 86 which also engages about the lower portion 8P of the sprocket wheel 8 1. Thus, as the handle bar 28* is turned in one direction or the other, the rudders 69 will be similarly turned in one direction or the other for steering the watercraft through the water.

Connected between the top ends of the stud shafts 46 and the top ends of the rudder shafts Each bar 81 has its one end connected to the top end of the shaft 46 of one of the pontoons l5 and the other end connected to the top end of the shaft H! of the other of the pontoons l5. Each of the bars 8'! is of one piece construction to assist in maintaining the parallel alignment of the pontoons.

Forward of the upwardly extended hollow projections 20, there is a second pair of crossed bars 88 extended between the pontoons I5. The ends of the bars 38 are secured to the pontoons I5 by means of vertically extended rods 89, see Fig. 2, which have their bottom ends passed through the top walls H? of the pontoons and securely attached thereto. Tubes 90 on the rods 89 act between the adjacent faces of the top walls l8 and the ends of the bars 88 supporting them at suitable elevations to cross over one another.

Thus, it is apparent that the bar 41 together with the sets of crossed bars 8! and 88 act in support of one another to maintain the pontoons in the abreast position shown in Fig. 1. Such retention of the pontoons I5 is essential to permit the shaft 52 which interconnects the pedal operated means of the pontoons to function as intended.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A foot powered watercraft comprising a pair of adjacent hollow pontoons, pedal operated means on said pontoons for propelling each pontoon in a forward direction, pivotally mounted rudders on the rear ends of said pontoons, hand operated means on said pontoons for pivoting said rudders in unison in one direction or the other for steering the pontoons, said pontoons being rigidly joined together, each of said pontoons having an upwardly extended hollow projection, and seat structures mounted on said projections for seating a number of riders tandem fashion, said pedal operated means comprising shafts rotatively extended through said projections one for each of said seat structures, said shafts having their outer ends extended beyond the outer faces of said projections, pedal assemblies mounted on the outer ends of said shafts, propeller shafts extended through the rear ends of said pontoons, propellers mounted on the outer ends of said propeller shafts, and drive means interconnecting said first mentioned shafts and said propeller shafts, said means joining said pedal operated means comprising a transverse shaft extended between said projections, said transverse shaft having its ends extended rotatively into said projections, sprocket wheels on the ends of said shaft within said projections, complementary sprocket wheels on one of said first mentioned. shafts of each of the pontoons, and sprocket chains engaged over said sprockets and said complementary sprockets.

2. A foot powered watercraft comprising a pair of adjacent hollow pontoons, pedal operated means on said pontoons for propelling each pontoon in a forward direction, pivotally mounted rudders on the rear ends of said pontoons, hand operated means on said pontoons for pivoting said rudders in unison in one direction or the other for steering the pontoons, said pontoons being rigidly joined together, each of said pontoons having an upwardly extended hollow projection, and seat structures mounted on said projections for seating a number for riders tandem fashion, said pedal operated means comprising shafts rotatively extended through said projections one for each of said seat structures, said shafts having their outer ends extended beyond the outer faces of said projections, pedal assemblies mounted on the outer ends of said shafts, propeller shafts extended through the rear ends of said pontoons, propellers mounted on the outer ends of said propeller shafts, and drive means interconnecting said first mentioned shafts and said propeller shafts, said means joining said pedal operated means comprising a transverse shaft extended between said projections, said transverse shaft having its ends extended rotatively into said projections, sprocket wheels on the ends of said shaft within said projections, complementary sprocket wheels on one of said first mentioned shafts of each of the pontoons, and sprocket chains engaged over said Sprockets and said complementary sprockets, said transverse shaft being formed of end aligned shaft sections, and a clutch interconnecting the adjacent ends of said aligned shaft sections to be opened for permitting said pedal operated means to be operated independently to assist said rudders in moving the pontoons about a sharp curve.

3. A foot powered watercraft comprising a pair of adjacent hollow pontoons, pedal operated means on said pontoons for propelling each pontoon in a forward direction, pivotally mounted rudders on the rear ends of said pontoons, hand operated means on said pontoons for pivoting said rudders in unison in one direction or the other for steering the pontoons, said pontoons being rigidly joined together, each of said pontoons having an upwardly extended hollow projection, and seat structures'mounted on said projections for seating a number of riders tandem fashion, said pedal operated means comprising shafts rotatively extended through said projections one for each of said seat structures, said shafts having their outer ends extended beyond the outer faces of said projections, pedal assemblies mounted on the outer ends of said shafts, propeller shafts extended through the rear ends of said pontoons, propellers mounted on the outer ends of said propeller shafts, and drive means interconnecting said first mentioned shafts and said propeller shafts, said means joining said pedal operated means comprising a transverse shaft extended between said projections, said transverse shaft'having its ends extended rotatively into said projections, sprocket Wheels on the ends of said shaft within said projections, complementary sprocket wheels on one of said first mentioned shafts of each of the pontoons, and sprocket chains engaged over said sprockets and said complementary sprockets, said transverse shaft being formed of end aligned shaft sections, and a clutch interconnecting the adjacent ends of said aligned shaft sections to be opened for permitting said pedal operated means to be operated independently to assist said rudders in moving the pontoons about a sharp curve, and a control lever extended upward from said clutch to be pivoted by one of the riders for opening and closing said clutch.

4. A foot powered watercraft comprising a pair of adjacent hollow pontoons, pedal operated means on said pontoons for propelling each pontoon in a forward direction, pivotally mounted rudders on the rear ends of said pontoons, hand operated means on said pontoons for pivoting said rudders in unison in one direction or the other for steering the pontoons, said pontoons being rigidly joined together, each of said pontoons having upwardly extended hollow projections, seat structures mounted on said projections for seating a number of riders tandem fashion, said pontoons being joined by a transverse bar which has its ends engaged with shafts extended upward from the pontoons adjacent their rear ends, said hand operated means for turning said rudders, comprising sprocket wheels on said shafts above the ends of said transverse bar, one of said seat structures at the rear end of one of said pontoons having a turnable handle bar, sprocket wheels mounted on shafts extended from the top ends of said rudders, sprocket chains interconnecting said turnably mounted handle bar and said sprocket wheels for causing said rudders to be turned in unison when said handle bar is turned, and crossed bars extended between the top ends of said shafts extended upward from said pontoons and said shafts extended upward from said rudders and between said pontoons forward of said projections.

FRED SMLVERTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 612,920 Winquist et al Oct. 25, 1898 738,171 Dungee Sept. 8, 1903 793,633 Beall July 4, 1905 1,350,259 Lay Aug, 17, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,604 Great Britain 1896 

